Asphyxiation 101

'U' should remedy course shortage

The University welcomed a considerably larger class this year than in previous years. Instead of warm greetings, some freshmen received a converted lounge for a dorm room and the frustration of trying to schedule classes that were filled long before they arrived. Due to the onslaught of first-year students, many core LSA courses such as Introductory Composition, foreign languages and Calculus were met with unmanageable demand. The University should use the increased tuition coming from the large first-year student population to accommodate the increased demand for required courses.

In addition to the great numbers of first-year students registering for classes, many Graduate Student Instructors resigned late in the term, creating a teacher shortage in several departments. Despite scheduling creativity as classes began to fill during the summer, 176 first-year students were without classes. Those students unable to enroll in core classes for Fall semester will simply create more backup further down the line in their academic careers. The departments offering core classes should take measures to ensure that there will not be a repeat of this year's scheduling crisis. In the future, better admissions predictions and refined class selection should help alleviate the problem.

The University should work to create a better working situation for GSIs and thus, a better overall educational environment. During contract negotiations last winter, GSIs cited the amount of work they were forced to handle and the low compensation they received in return - problems administrators must work to resolve. With the overcrowded sections of core classes, GSIs are ending up with a lot more work than they can handle; it wouldn't be a surprise if, with an eye to the overcrowding and memories of poor treatment in the past, GSIs pulled out of their teaching commitments.

First-year students were not alone in their scheduling surprise. Many lecture courses are packed, leaving students without seats. Large courses make it difficult to maintain teacher-student interaction. With lecture seating limited to standing-room only, students receive even less attention.

Students should consider other options to the standard core recitation courses such as seminars. Seminars are an opportunity for first- and second-year students to be introduced to the University without filtering information through an overwhelming lecture. Students have access to several seminars, most of which are taught by professors and can be more accessible than large courses of greater popularity. Students should also keep in mind that they can fulfill requirements such as introductory composition in first-year seminars.

Overcrowded lectures and recitations create a poor impression on new students. Students interested in concentrating in one of the overcrowded departments may not be able to witness the finer points as a result of the sheer number of people surrounding them - and it's worse, of course, if they cannot get in at all. Students may also feel lost in the crowd and turn away from the entire University. Administrators and departments that experienced problems this term should take steps to avoid repeated scheduling problems in the future.

09-19-97